Monday, August 25, 2020

Today, I had a very difficult time getting out of bed. Everything seems pointless. I don't know what to do with myself. The pandemic goes on. I am getting sick of my routine, but i don't have anything to replace it with. 

Fires are ranging all around us, and the air quality is bad. It's been overwhelmingly hot, but today is more reasonable. 

The republican convention is tonight. We tried watching it last night, and changed the channel after 10 minutes. We watched Being John Malkovitch instead. From the clips today, it was a dark and scary affair. Last week, the dems were so uplifting, while still stating the seriousness of this election. 

I am lethargic, lazy, and lonely.

Friday, August 14, 2020

It is hot. 103 degrees. I already hate spending time in my apartment, and when it is hot like this, there is nowhere else to be. I sat in my car for two hours at Hahn's Park. It wasn't as shady as i thought it was going to be, but i stayed there and talked on the phone to Justine and Kate. After that, I got a bagel and cream cheese at Panera, and then went grocery shopping. 

The heat feels so different out here. I have never lived any place that was as dry as this area. People always say, "It's not the heat; it's the humidity." It's the heat. Unforgiving and relentless, it makes me miss Florida, despite the heat there. At least I was close to a beach, and could go in the ocean whenever I wanted. 

As it is, I am trapped. If I weren't, I would travel. To see Kate, to Vero Beach, and who knows where else. But that won't be happening for months and months, especially because there are so many people not wearing masks. 

The pandemic is still going on. According to Trump, we are doing so well. According to the experts, Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx, it's not going all that well. Dr Fauci said he wasn't happy with the numbers. If Dr. Fauci isn't happy, I am not happy. Nearly 170,000 people are dead, and the President talks as if it is all over. 

And then there's the post office. The head of the post office is a crony of trumps, and is making massive cuts to services, so that voting by mail can be stymied. It's so diabolical. Post office boxes are disappearing, along with mail sorters. Workers are saying it's never been this bad. 

Happy news though, Joe Biden picked Kamala Harris as his VP. That will add excitement to the ticket. It's driving Trump nuts already. He pulled his racist, birther crap over the past few days, but it seems to be recognized for what it is. 

Joe Biden's speaking style isn't the most exciting, but we don't need exciting right now. When he does speak, it is a breath of fresh air, considering what we've listened to for the past four years. 

Sunday, August 2, 2020

I've been swimming at the Benicia pool. It gets me up and out. For 45 minutes, I kick hard and try not to think of all that's going on in the world at the moment. It is hard for me to get up and go, but i do, and wanting to quit for the first 16 laps. 

Today, Chris was swimming 3 lanes down from me. It's a really quick session. Normally, at the gym, I swim for 45 minutes, no problem. Here, I get anxious about cramming it all in to 45 minutes. It's really rigid. In the pool at 10:00, out by 10:45, back in my car by 11. At the end, the life guard whistles and everyone gets out at the same time and dresses in unison. It looks like a 1930s synchronized swimming movie. 

Afterwards, I went to my spot behind the laundromat, where it's shady and smells like dryer sheets. Now I am home. This is my least favorite time of day. It's when I feel especially aimless. Maybe writing can be like swimming, where I only hate the first 15 minutes of sitting down. 

We are at 150,000 dead and the number is going up every day. The president keeps saying everything is ok and that the public schools should open for face-to-face school. There's so much going on in the news that it's a whirl keeping up with it all. 

The GDP is the lowest it has ever been. Unemployment supplemental benefits ran out at midnight on Friday. I'll still get 200.00 for a few more weeks, but then everything ends. 

The protests for BLM are still going on all around the company. The news media rarely covers them, unless there is violence. Trump tried to shove his goons down the throats of the mayor and governor of Portland, but had to withdraw them all in the end. No goons. no violence.

I'm still spending too much time on Twitter and it gets exhausting. But i have this irrational fear that something big will happen, and I won't know about it. It's as though my hypervigilance is the only thing keeping everything from flying off an axis and into the universe. 

I spend a lot of time by myself. I fear I am losing my social skills, along with my edit function. I don't want to be an old person who prattles on to the grocery store cashier. But I am starved for regular conversation. I see friends maybe three times a week, but it's always the same ones. I am nervous because Gregory and Richard's brother was here, and they went to Black Bear Diner, and into SF. They don't seem worried, so I'll act as if I am not worried. 

My place is a mess. There's no urgency to clean. I haven't gone grocery shopping since I went to Trader Joe's and Larry's farm stand over a week ago. I'm down to one baking potato and not much else. I guess that will be tomorrow's project, since I am taking a day off from swimming. 

Tonight, I am going to the Whitfields for dinner and a movie. 

Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Things are getting worse every day. 140,000 humans have lost their lives because of the incompetence of this president and his administration. California has the highest number of cases in the nation, more than New York. Businesses are still shut down.It's not the only state with rising rates. Florida goes up every day, and their dimwitted governor won't close gyms, and wants to open schools in person in three week.

The pool is closed. I was swimming every day, and it was something I really looked forward to doing. Afterwards, I felt very calm. 

I don't feel that way today. I am waking up late, and getting out of the house only to get coffee and somewhere else other than my apartment with the 6 ft 5 in ceiling. The only things keeping me reasonably on track are cannabis and my friends and family. I haven't seen anyone except them and Pam, since the lock down began. 

My days are aimless. I am overwhelmed by what's going on in the world. I can't turn it off. I doom scroll through twitter 11 hours a day. I fear if i don't that everything will come crashing down. Looks like now it's crashing down without my help.

Trump announced today that he was sending federal troops into several cities, where he thinks mayors have lost control over the cities. So far, these troops have been showing up without anything to id them as legitimate troops. He's sending them in to quell violence, but they are initiating and perpetuating the violence against citizens who have a constitutional right to gather to protest.  

People are protesting the police violence in the death of George Floyd. There have been so many instances of violence at the hands of the police, mostly toward black people. And the troops are firing bullets and gas at them, including the mothers who have banded to aid the cause. 

Trump also asked the Ambassador to Great Britain to check with Scotland, to see if the British Open could be held at his resort in Scotland. 

And he wished a pedophile who is sitting in jail with information on him and his cronies. Just another average Tuesday and Wednesday. 

Gregory, Richard, and I are watching the Marvel series of movies on Disney Channel. I got that to see Hamilton, which was so wonderful and definitely relative to these times. 

My head hurts. I wish we had a super hero. I wish lightening would hit all the bad people. Unemployment runs out this weekend, and republicans won't vote for more, because they think it disincentivizes people to work.

Saturday, June 6, 2020

3:21 pm

69 degrees

108,849 dead (as of yesterday)

Beautiful day. Rustling winds. 

After I got coffee, I looked for shade. Drove to Dan Foley Park. No shade. I drove to Cooper Elementary, where I spent five weeks in 3rd grade last fall. Sat under a large tree and scrolled through Twitter. 

Lots of protests. 

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

2:30 pm

I can't believe how much time has gone by since I last wrote anything. The days go slow and weeks go fast. Time is irrelevant. The corona virus is still with us and cases are rising in 48 states, including California. Governor Newsom closed the state down on Monday. School will most likely be virtual, despite what the president and betsy de vos want. 

Since the end of June, I have been swimming laps at the gym. They closed down and now the  one thing that was keeping me happy and calm has vanished. So instead of swimming, I am walking. Today was my second day, and I walked 13 minutes. My back and hips are so painful that it's hard to stand up. Actually, it's because my core is so week. So I will keep walking and increasing my time and steps as I go. Yesterday, I walked the San Pablo Trail and could barely make it the last several yards.Today, I walked on the waterfront. I'm not inspired, except that I know that I have to get up and out every day. My goal is to walk for an hour. 

Protests are still happening in states all over the country, but the media are ignoring them. The president threatened today to send in the National Guard to restore peace. He also diverted the covid numbers from the CDC directly to the white house. 

Yesterday, I watched the president's press conference. It was so unnerving that I drank whiskey at 3:30 in the afternoon. 

Monday, June 8, 2020

3:50 pm

77 degrees

113,048 dead 

The protests against racism and police brutality continue. There was a huge march on Saturday, or rather, marches all over the world. 

Friday, June 5, 2020

68 degrees

108,849 deaths 

It is so blessedly cool today, thank goodness. The past three days have been so hot. I can't even imagine what it would be like to be protesting right now. And the protests go on. Vallejo was quiet last night, after police shot a man who had been looting, and who had his hands over his head, his back to the officers. Looting should not be an automatic death sentence. 

Today, as Trump talked about the jobs situation in the US, which of course is improving under him, he said:

“Hopefully George is looking down right now and saying, ‘This is a great thing that’s happening for our country. “This is a great day for him. It’s a great day for everybody.”

Yup. That is what he said, on the day of George Floyd's funeral, not that it would be acceptable at any time. 

Yesterday, more fencing was put up around the White House. So much for it being the people's house. Trump is hunkering down. What a coward.

Wednesday, June 3, 2020

2:47 pm    91 degrees

approximately 108,000 dead

Hot hot hot today. The protests are ongoing. Vallejo summoned the National Guard last night. Looting was rampant along Sonoma Blvd and at the Plaza, where all the big box stores are.  Once again, fell asleep to buzzing helicopters overhead, and sirens all around. 

Second degree murder charges have been brought against Derek Chauvin, the officer who kneeled on George Floyd's neck and murdered him. Charges will brought against the other three officers involved. 

Barak Obama spoke to the nation today. It was the speech of a president - unifying and hopeful, yet acknowledging fully the injustice of racism in this country.

Tuesday, June 2, 2020

3:08 pm

86 degrees 

107,846 dead

The world is burning. Protests against police continue, in the wake of the shooting of George Floyd last Monday. In hundreds of cities worldwide, people are peacefully gathering to protest how black people are treated by the police and in general. It’s about damn time. 

Vallejo is under curfew, as is much of the nation. Peaceful protests turn ugly when cops get pushy. Last night, peaceful protesters were pushed away from Lafayette Square, in front of the White House, by overeager cops and military police (military police - he basically declared martial law yesterday), so the president could walk across the street to historic St. John’s Church for a photo opportunity. He’s holding a bible. The most un spiritual man in the world is holding a bible. 

If we weren’t in a pandemic, there would be opportunities to gather with other people in coffee shops, restaurants, and stores. It would feel less frightening than it does right now, secluded and unemployed, to be around people in a normal setting.

As it is, I am on an island and I can’t get off. One day really is melting into the next. I wear the same clothes a few days in a row. I shower infrequently, after all who am I going to be around? If I know I am going to be around people, I do up my game hygiene wise. The people at the Coffee Curb know my order, because I am there every day at the same time. Coffee is pretty much all that gets me out of bed. Today, since it is hot, I got a huge cold brew. I am still drinking it. 

For the last several nights, I’ve fallen asleep to the sounds of sirens and helicopters. Police headquarters is a few blocks away, at Amador and Georgia. That’s pretty close to me. I am privileged enough to be hidden away in the back of a house in a quiet neighborhood, so I feel safe. People are looting stores like Target and Best Buy. There was a shooting last night. I just heard some explosives. It’s probably someone lighting firecrackers, but it could be bullets. 

So here we are, pretty much under martial law. Trump has threatened governors that if they can’t get their states under control, he will send in the military. And this is going over quite well with many people who are racist idiots. 

Amidst all the horrifying stories of the past few nights, there’s one that lifted my spirits. A man at 15th and Swann, in DC, took a slew, like 80 people into his house, to keep them safe from the police, who had chased them from in front of the White House. 

8:04 pm

Could watch only one episode of Downton Abbey before I had to be home in time for the 8:00 pm curfew. We are going to watch again on Thursday, but we're going to start an hour earlier.

It is so weird to be home this early. It is still light out, but darkness is coming and there are protesters at Georgia and Amador. The streets are quiet, except for there, because of the curfew.

Tomorrow, I am going to take a shower and lay in front of the fan for the afternoon, since it will be over 90. Or maybe I'll drive up toward the Russian River.

Jeez, I haven't even concentrated on the pandemic. Nearly 108,000 people have died, and Dr. Fauci hasn't been seen at the WH since May 18. Now, with these protests, people are crowded together and probably spreading the corona virus. Then there are the places that opened up too soon. So basically everyone.

Several helicopters are flying over head. Why must it be so martial? The protesters are peaceful.

Sunday, May 31, 2020

2:04 pm

The fire continued throughout the country last night and into today. The peaceful protests start out that way, and then the cops show up, in full military gear, looking for a fight. There were more shots of cops beating people, yanking people out of cars, and destroying supplies. And they start it. Today, one protest went down another street to avoid the police. 

In many cities, the police are shooting at the crowd, and particularly at people in the press. People are getting hurt. There are a lot of white faces in the crowd, some being allies, and some being rabble rousers. 

Fires are burning, at least they were last night. The National Guard is out in many cities to enforce curfews and keep the protesters in line. Trump is going to use all this chaos as a way to establish martial law. 

The pandemic is so last week. No one is talking about that, now that we have riots to worry about. It makes me crazy that journalists can’t stay with both. I can’t even tell you the number of people who have died, but it’s over 100,000. In three months. Cancer and Heart disease take more people in the same amount of time. But neither is contagious. 

I am doing my best to stay off of twitter, but it is very difficult. I need to witness what is going on in our country. We’re crashing and we can’t stop. 

Tonight is Downton Abbey night. We are at the beginning of season 5. It’s a glorious 2-3 hours of escape from this frightening world. 

Saturday, May 30, 2020

2:47 pm

108,000 dead

The number of people who have died from covid-19 is increasing, yet the country is opening back up. 

The protests continued last night and today. Last night, there were riots and destruction in many cities. However, photos have shown white people as the instigators, although the doughboy attorney general said antifa and the radical left were responsible for the riots and looting. 

The president is doing nothing to quell the anger and heat. Rather, he lobs grenades into the fire and watches everything burn. 

The police are shooting protesters with rubber bullets and tear gas. Cops are throwing people into the streets and exacerbating the anger, instead of helping it dissipate. 

Even if the looting is done by people in the neighborhood, I don’t really care. These are people who have a right to be angry, and the corporations have insurance. At last, the protesters are being heard. 

Friday, May 29, 2020

3:51 pm

104,000 dead

The country is burning. George Floyd, a black man, was killed in Minneapolis by 4 policemen who sat on him. There have been violent protests for the past few days. The President threw gasoline on the fire by calling protesters thugs. 

Last night, protesters lit the 3rd district police headquarters on fire. There were also fireworks. Oh say can you see. There were protests in other cities. In Louisville, 7 protesters were shot. They haven’t apprehended the shooters. 

If you’re white and you are protesting your rights about this virus, even if you are carrying a gun and yelling in a policeman’s face, you don’t get arrested. 

If you’re black and suspected of a non violent crime, you’re lucky if you make it out of the situation alive. 

There is such a dumpster full of news today, in addition to the murder, and the fact that the death toll from covid-19 is more than 104,000 people. 

Today is the first day I feel a little panicked about the future. Unemployment won’t last forever. Will I be able to work in September as a substitute teacher? Who knows? The uncertainty is nerve wracking and scary. All I can do is stay in the moment and deal with whatever comes when it comes. 

It’s another sad day, but I got out to my shady spot at Mare Island, after I got coffee and my car washed. I’ve been texting back and forth with Claudia P and Kate. They keep me grounded. 

Tuesday - May 26, 2020

2:47 pm 91 degrees

I absolutely hate summer here. It’s one big downside about where i live. Vallejo is not pretty. There are pretty spots, but the city is gritty. There are not many shady spots in the area, and I really need shade. The sun beats down, and the dry heat makes me cranky. At least my apartment is on the ground floor, so it is relatively cool, but not enough to keep me from sweating. A gallon baggie filled with ice is my friend. If there weren’t a pandemic, I would go swimming. Instead, I’ll take a cool shower and sit in front of the fan. It’s supposed to rain Friday and Saturday, and be much cooler. That is one thing to live for. 

Memorial Day 2020

Today is Memorial Day. It's very quiet, unlike other years. There are no barbecues and parties, due to the stay-at-home situation. And we are going to hit a horrifying statistic in a few days. 

Last time I wrote, the number of people who died from covid-19 was 90,000. As of today,99,754 people have succumbed to this virus. Yet there are people who are sure it is a hoax, just because they, themselves don't know anyone who has had it. The country is opening back up and people are not socially distancing, and many are not wearing masks. 

Despite the deaths, Trump played golf yesterday and today, and spent time on Twitter dissing his enemies. 

We have just completed our tenth week sheltering in place. Today, it is 90 degrees, and my apartment, even though it's the ground floor and usually cool, is warm. This weather makes me cranky. 

Other than current events, there is little that has changed. I have had a couple of zoom sessions with friends, and they boost me for days. 

I have utilized Instacart for the second time, to order groceries and have them delivered. It beats going to the grocery store.

And I got a CPAP machine. Pauli sent it to me, programmed. Last night was my eighth night of sleeping through the night. I had no idea what a good night sleep felt like. Now I do. 

It has taken a little getting used to, but it is definitely working. I had one many years ago, and it was a nightmare - clunky tubes, claustrophobic air mask, cumbersome console. This one is not huge.

Still Here

Everything is still the same, except for the fact that things are starting to open back up slowly. Here in Solano County, curbside retail and outdoor activities, like golf and tennis have come back on-line. The death toll topped 90,000 people today. What is there to say? The president has not relayed any type of sympathy to the survivors. Life goes on, apparently. Trump fired another inspector general Friday night, bringing the total to four. He and the secretary of state are in cahoots so there is no one to see over their grift. 

What Is There to Say?

Just completed the eighth week staying at home.  To stay sane, I am still going out for drives on most days. Today, I am still in my pajamas at 2:00, and not going anywhere, until tonight, when I am going to the Whitfields' for Downton Abbey at 6. All I have done today is drink coffee and scroll through Twitter. 

As of today, 80,000 Americans are dead from the corona virus. Our president thinks his response has been a success. Wall Street thinks so, too. The economy is opening back up, whether we have enough equipment and hospital space for what's coming. No one is being tested, unless you're in the White House. I should say, few are being tested. 

Vallejo is offering testing, but not very good information on how people are supposed to behave, now that parks and some retail is opening up. It looks like people think that they can leave their houses without masks, since the pandemic is over. Only it's not. In two months, 80,000 people have died. By June 1, the total will be more than a hundred thousand people. And we are supposed to act normally. 

Am I still supposed to stay home like I have been? I will, especially now that I have found grocery delivery. It costs more, but it is so worth it. I always disliked going to the grocery store, but even more so, with the pandemic. I get overwhelmed and stressed and forget to buy items that i need, all because I want to get in and out as quickly as possible. But delivery is life changing. It is so easy. Now what to do with all that time saved? Hmmm. I am working on that. 

Small things are irritating me. My landlord and his wife are outside every morning, gardening and listening to Chinese music. Normally, it doesn't bother me, because I am at work. But every day for the last eight weeks is making me cranky. Like I said, small things. 

My friends from Vero and I did a Zoom call last week. We stayed on for nearly two hours. It was so good to see them and hear them. It assuaged the loneliness that day. My dopamine levels shot up and stayed there for a few days. 

Tuesday night was Cinco de Mayo, so the Bakers had us over for dinner. It's breaking the rules, but everyone there has been quarantining. And it was worth the risk. 

An eventful couple of days

It's getting gnarly, as we enter our eighth week of lock down.  It is far from lock down. There are a few minor inconveniences, but if we're complaining, we're privileged. People are dying and our president is denying all responsibility. There are protests to open up the economy and not have to wear masks going on around the country. They look big on tv, but it's really just a bunch of idiots with small penises who are allowed to bombard a state capitols. If these assholes were black, there would be no protest going on. You don't even have to actually have a gun to get shot by the police when you are black. 

We are at just over a million cases in the United States. Yesterday, we passed the sad milestone of 58,353 dead in the Viet Nam War. 58,425 people. Human beings. In two months, more people have died in two months in 2020, than in the entire Vietnam war, which was twenty years long. I have to type this so I can see it on paper to realize this is a real thing. That's how unbelievable things are. In addition to pandemics and possible war with Iran or Iraq or whoever Donald Trump incites, we now are plagued by murderous hornets. What the actual fuck? Don't get on me about my use of that word. It encompasses every feeling I have about what is going on today. 

Today, i actually had something to do. As I do most days, I got my latte extra shot at my favorite drive through coffee kiosk. It is worth 4.25 every day to keep this local business afloat. I get to interact with humans for 3 minutes, and I go away with the drink that will start my day on the right path. 

After that, I headed to Lowe's, so I could get a gift card for Aunt Jean's birthday. The place was mobbed. I wore my mask into the star, picked out the card, and headed to a line for the cashier. They went back miles. I was really cranky when i drove into the parking lot and saw no empty spaces. I thought standing in line would be a nightmare, which it was, especially because i was suffocating under my mask, but the misery lasted no less than 15 minutes. The lines at Lowe's are tricky because of the huge carts they have for lumber and other big things. 

When I got out of Lowe's and away from all those people breathing on me, I drove to Lake Hermann Recreation Area. Of course, nearly every parking spot was taken. But i found I spot overlooking the late. I texted my brother, because this was the spot where I made my first phone call to him and heard his voice. 

Tonight, we celebrated Jean's birthday at Chris and Nancy's. There were only six of us. I feel guilty but obviously not guilty enough not to do it. 

My landlord asked me the other day where I go every day. I told him that I drove around and that I sat at Mare Island, under the eucalyptus trees. He's afraid I will bring the virus home. And he stresses whenever he hears me cough or sneeze, which is rarely. 

Masks

I went to the grocery store yesterday, and I wore my mask. Joanna made it for me. Wearing the mask outside is OK. When I got into the store, though, I felt like I was suffocating. I got a little panicky and had to calm myself down right there in the produce section. Claustrophobia took over. Spent five minutes by the berries to get myself together. Good thing I made a list. Otherwise, I would have run out of the store with only half of my list. 

Most people were really cool about shopping in masks and staying their distance. But it wasn't enough for one guy, who came down the aisles, claiming he needed six feet from all of us, and we needed to leave the aisle. I am not proud of it, but he was very obnoxious, and I snapped at him. A nice lady calmed me down. I lost my patience. 

I totally understand the need for a mask, and as time goes on, I'll get used to it, and some day I won't think about wearing it. But I'm not there yet. 
In this time of isolation, we've already lost actual physical contact. I've lived alone for most of my life, and I don't get much in the way of touch in the best of times. But I do miss hugs from my family. Now, with the masks, I can't see people's facial expressions, especially a random smile from a stranger. Everything is communicated through the eyes. We lose a little bit more of our humanity day by day. 

It is all for a good cause, keeping people healthy. I follow the rules, unlike these assholes who are protesting the stay at home shut down. I feel like banging my head on the table because they are so stupid. And the president supports them. 

Crude oil closed today at -37.63. It's unprecedented. All these people who hold contracts on the oil have to take delivery of it, and most people have no where to put it, so they're paying people to take it off of their hands. 

The stock market dropped 600 points. 

But the corona virus is all consuming. There are still so many questions about it. Can you get reinfected with it? Why doesn't everyone get very sick? those are a few of mine. 

I finally finished a detective novel. It took me weeks. That is because my head is in the news, as if I can do anything about it. 

In It For The Long Haul

I am so glad I live in a state with a governor who believes in science and following the advice of experts. The president is pushing to open everything back up on May 1st. According to the experts, this will be disastrous, because the virus will spread. What does it take for people to understand that staying home is for everyone's good? These people who are protesting the stay at home orders imposed by the governors are so stupid. They'll get sick from doing this. But they're so afraid that these public health measures are tyrannical. 

My head is ready to explode from all the awful news, especially having to do with the president not responding quickly enough to the threat of covid-19. Every day, he gets crazier and crazier, and the press acts like his behavior is normal for a grown man, let alone a president. His followers are brain washed. He has a press briefing every afternoon, and he says the same thing, give or take a few meltdowns. He's ready to fire the Dr. Fauci, who is the premier doctor of virology and epidemiology in the united states. 

Over the past two weeks, I have spent most of my time in my pajamas. Days go by without me showering or dressing in real clothes. The only places I go are to the supermarket, the dispensary,Richard and Gregory's, the Bakers, Nancy and Chris', and to the coffee drive through. I do get out most days, if only to drive around. I have spots where I like to park - St. Peter's at Mare Island, the ferry building parking lot, and the lake at Dan Foley park, which i found today. It is a welcome relief from my apartment with the 6 1/2 foot ceilings. The walls do close in sometimes. 

A couple of weeks ago, I had a video call with my friends, the Divas. I got up early, showered, blew dry my hair, and made a cup of coffee. We recreated the lunches we used to have, before the sickening. It was so uplifting, a total dopamine infusion. The wonders of modern technology.  

Laura is one of the Divas, and is teaching second grade throughout this stay at home time. Justine is teaching pre-k through this. Teacher and children meet three times a week in Google hangouts and see each other's faces. 

I am back home after this morning's adventure, and I just made myself steel cut oats, with blueberries, and touches of whiskey, milk, and brown sugar. I'm putting off going to the grocery store until tomorrow, when I will shower once again. Two adventures tomorrow - the supermarket and more Downton Abbey at Richard and Gregory's. 

For the rest of today, I'm going to stay off of Twitter, and delve into the detective novel i am reading - Maisie Dobbs. The time from of the series is 1914 through to the 1930s, kind of like Downton Abbey. I find that era has similarities to our own right now - a pandemic for one. Here's hoping there will be no war, although maybe that is what has happened already. A biotech war.